Can end inspector



Feb. 9, 1937. y.. E MOORE 2,070,339

GAN END NsPEcToR `Filed Aug. 28, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 9 .k b I N m \l`,5 l k( W) f I! S mvv-'f3 .M Y. E

.j l l L i Feb. 9, 1937. yM. E. MOORE l 2,070,339

GAN END INSPECTOR Filed Aug. 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z0 Z6 4r- Z5 ff w a sooaoohm snow al.

Resut, nescst. //0 V #MMM/W Aa. @Z 7 28 l J l V l 9 60W 110V Ac..

humuumn MM #fr I g 2 /IOV thus formed have the edges turned or curled Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.070,339 .CAN END INSPECTOR Mark E. Moore, Maywood, Ill.

Application August 28, 1934, Serial No. 741,852

` 6 claims. (cl. 20s- 1511) This invention relates to improvements in means for detecting imperfect or undesirable articles in the process of their manufacture, and pertains particularly to a means for inspecting the ends of metallic cans, and this application constitutes a substitution for application Serial No. 7131218. filed February 27, 1934. l

'I'he primary object ofthe present invention is to provide a device whereby theends of metallic cans may be automatically inspected after they have been formed and prior to their being applied to the can body, and removed from use if found imperfect in any manner as, for example, if found to be rusted, dirtied or without the usual gasketwith which they are provided before being secured to the end of a can body.

In the manufacture of tin cans, the `body of the can is rst formed into a cylinder and after being flanged, is carried to a machine which applies and secures the ends thereto. 'Ihese ends are cut from a sheet of metal and the disks to hold a gasket in place and to also assist in locating the end on the can when the end goes into the seamer. After the end of the can has been formed and the gasket applied, it is conveyed on a belt or othersuitable carrier t'o a stack from which it is taken and inspected. be-

fore being transferred to a stack in the seamer from which it is fed for application to the can body.

At the present time, the inspection of the can ends is made by hand, therefore, the" end cannot be kept entirely sanitary. V The present invention contemplates the provision of a means of inspectwhere they are curled and receive the gaskets to the seamer, onl the endless conveyor.v 'I'his inspection is carried out by means of `a. photoelectric cell and other `mechanism operated thereby which is made active'to remove an end from the conveyor ii it is found to be rusted,kgreasy or dirty or to lack a gasket. r

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specicatiomwith 'the understanding,` however, that the invention 'is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the ap- 'pended claims.

In the drawings:-

`passes beneath the uit I on the belt 4.

Figure 1 is a view illustrating in top plan portions of the mechanism embodying the present invention, part of i which mechanism is in secl tion.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure' 3 is a view of a portion ofone unitof the device, a part of which is broken away to show the interior arrangement of the parts.

Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of an amplifier unit of the character which may be used in association withreach of the can end inspecting units.

Figure 5 shows a modication of a portion of the circuit arrangement shown in Figure 4, which modified portion forms a part of the circuit layout for one'can endinspecting unit.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of two of the units showing the electrical connections between the parts thereof.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1--1 of Figure 1. 4

Referring now more particularly to the drawings. wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsl throughout the several views,

` it will be seen upon referring to Figure l that received the usual gasket or after having had the inner surfaces lacquered according to the practice followed. The units may be mounted in any suitable manner above the lid conveyor 4 as, for example, upon side rails 5 which extend in parallelrelation along the side edges of the conveyor.

The unit I is designed for the inspection of can ends to determine if each one passing therebeneath has been equipped with .the necessary liners. For this purpose. the unit is made up of two cylinders 1 and 8, which are mounted las illustrated in Figure 2, so that the open lower ends thereof are in convergent relation.

The cylinder 1 houses anincandescent lamp 9 and in the lower end is mounted a condensing lens l0 by means of which light rays issuing from the lamp 9 may be caused to converge on a small area adjacent the edge of each can end as it The cylinders, as shown in Figure 1,` are mounted `close to one side of the conveyor so that the spot of light passing through the lens I0 will strike the proper area of the end.

The cylinder 8 houses a light sensitive or photoelectric cell II and the arrangement of the cylinders 1 and 8 is such that the spot of light projecting downwardly upon the can end will be reected therefrom, if the can end lacks the necessary liner or gasket, up into the cylinder 8 to strike this. cell.

Mounted at the side of the conveyor adjacent each of the units I, 2, and 3 is a solenoid coil I2 which has a longitudinally shiftable core I3. Adjacent each of the solenoids is mounted upon a vertical pivot I5, which may be carried by the adjacent rail 5, a kickout arm or bar I6 which has lateral extensions I1 at the pivoted end thereof through which the adjacent solenoid core I3 extends and with which the core has loose connection so that upon energization of the coil the core when it is drawn inwardly will pull upon the extensions I1 and swing the arm I6 across the top surface of the belt. A bracket I8 is mounted in spaced relation to the end of eachl solenoid from which the core I3 projects and a spring I9 is connected between each of these brackets and the adjacent kickout arm exten-y sion I1 so that the arm will normally be held at 22 lthereof into contact with a terminal 23 so as to close a circuit 24 in which the solenoid coil I2 is located. The incandescent lamp 9 is also in Ythis amplifier circuit, as illustrated in Figure 4, j and the current rectication and amplication is taken care of by a rectifier tube 25 of any suitable type such as a 25z5 tube and the ampliier tube 2B of a suitable type such as a 41 tube, the tubes being controlled by a rheostat 21 while the light intensity necessary to activate the photoelectric cell II is controlled by the rheostat 28.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the sensitivity of the photoelectric cell II may be adjusted so that a can end passing' beneath the light spot projected thereon by the lens I0 will be passed if it carries a liner which is insuflicient to reflect the necessary amountv of llight 'to the cell II thus causing the energization of the same and the building up of sufcient' current in the ampliiier circuit to actuate the relay 2I. However, should the end lack a liner the bright metal of the end will reflect the necessary amount of light to energize the cell II, the relay ZI will be made active so that the arm .22 thereof will be drawn over into contact withthe terminal 23 and the adjacent solenoidl2 will be energized and will cause the swinging of the arm I6 across the conveyor belt so that the imperfect end willbe knocked from the belt.

In order that the can ends approaching unit I may be in the proper position for inspection, the rails 5 carry ,light ilexible arms 29, which serve to center the can lid. y

Unit 2 employs the same amplier circuit as unit I, but this unit is intended to inspect those can ends which must have one face lacquered,

and for this purpose, there is mounted over the conveyor belt a housing or cylinder 30 in the upper part of which a photoelectric cell 3l is mounted. At one side of the housing or cylinder 30 is a small cylinder 32, which houses an incandescent lamp 3.3, this lamp and the cell ,3I being analogous to the lamp and cell 9 and II, respectively, as previously described and illustrated in circuit in Figure 4. Leading from the incandescent lamp housing 32 through the wall of the cylinder 30 is a tube 34 which houses two converging lenses 35 which direct a spot of light from the lamp 33 onto a small dispersing mirror 36 which is mounted on an arm 31 in the cylinder 30 beneath the cell 3| and in such a manner as to spread the light over the conveyor belt to include an areaequal to the diameter of the lower end of the cylinder 30. 'Ihis cylinder 38 is of substantially the same diameter as the can end so that the end passes beneath the cylinder and its entire surface will receive light from the mirror 36 and if it has not received its coat of lacquer, or areas are left uncovered by the lacquer, it will reflect the necessary amount of light to activate the cell 3l so that the amplifier circuit will be energized and the defective end will be kicked -out in the same manner as described in connection with the scanning of ends passing under unit I.

Unit 3 is intended to examine and remove from the conveyor belt those can ends which may be dirty or rusted. This unit operates to remove from the belt those ends which fail to reflect a suiiicient amount of light instead of passing the same as the units I and 2 do. This unit, like unit 2, comprises a vertical cylinder 38 which has an open downwardly directed end overlying the belt and which houses a photoelectric cell 39 and a reiiecting mirror 38 and which has a lens housing tube 4I extending through its wall and directed toward the mirror Ill) for the projection thereonto of a condensed light beam issuing from an incandescent lamp tl2 which is mounted in the vertical housing cylinderv 43. The same form of amplifying circuit iscontrolled by the cell 39' of unit 3 as is controlled by the cells of units I and 2, but a different form of relay is employed in which `the solenoid circuit is broken when the relay is activated by the amplifier instead of being closed as in the case of relay 2l. In Figure 5 is shown a modified portion of the circuit of Figure 4 for use in connection with unit 3, wherein the relay is indicated by the numeral 43. The armature for the relay 4B is indicated by the numeral 65 and, asshown, when this is drawn over through the energization of the relay, ,it disconnects from a contact point 46 which is in the circuit 31. This circuit 41 contains the solenoid coil I2 which is associated with the unit 3 and in addition, it is controlled by ltwo switch points 48 which are of thin flexible material and are located over thesurface of the conveyor belt i beneath the edge of the photoelectric cell housing 38, asshown in Figure 1.

In the operation of the mechanism, when plain can ends are inspected, after the circuit control-A ling rheostats have been properly adjusted in connection with units I and 3, the 'can ends are passed beneaththese units upon the belt carrier Each end rst passes beneath the unit I where it is scanned adjacent its periphery by the light spot cast thereon from the lens Ill. If the can end carries the required liner or gasket, insumcient light will be reflected therefrom to activate the cell Il and the circuit controlled by this cell will remain inoperative so that the end will pass on toward the unit 3. The unit 2 may be cut out of operation when the plain ends are examined,

if desired, or if conditions require, the unit I may be cut out and the unit 2 allowed to scan the end in which case, the iullendwill bescanned, and if a gasket is present, the light reflected therefrom will be insuiiicient to `activate the electric cell forming a part of this unit. It is, of course, understood that the circuit controlling rheostat of each unit is previously adjusted in` accordance with the work which the unit is required to do. In either-case, if the unit I or unit 2 is used in the inspection of a plain end for the absence of a gasket or liner", the absence ofthe linerv will.

reilect the amount of light necessary to cause the electric cell to increase the current flow through the circuit in which it is located to the necessary degree to operate thev relay 2|, thus closing the cir-` cuit in which the adjacent solenoid I2 is located, so as to operate the kicked outl element to cause the removal of the defective end.

The end, after having successfully passed the first unit by which vitis inspected then passes beneath the housing 38 of unit 3 to be inspected fordirt or rust. `The rheostat controlling the circuit for this unit is `previously adjusted so that the photoelectric cell 39 is sensitive to light reflectedvirom a perfectly clean can end which is equipped with the proper liner. When such a can end moves along on the beltV 4 into position beneath the cylinder becomes activated by "the light reflected therefrom and causes suiicient current to pass through thc relay 44 to swing the switch arm armature 45 so as to remove the samel from the point 4E, thus opening the circuit 41 at this point. The can end will then contact and bring together the switch points 48, but the solenoid circuit 41 will remain' open or inactive because ofthe separation of the armature 45 from the point 46. If, however, the

i can end which is scanned by the cell 39 contains .solenoid I2 will be a dirtyor rusty spot, the amount of light reflected therefrom will `be insufiicient to cause theenergization of the photoelectric cell to the necessary degree to cause sunj'icient current to pass through the circuit for the operation of the relayw44 and, therefore, the armature 45 and contact point '46 will remain in engagement one with the other s'o that when the end closes .the switch points 48, the circuit 41 will be completely closed and the energized to cause the kick out mechanism controlled thereby to operate for the removal of the defective end.

In the use of the machine for inspecting lacquered ends, the course of a lacquered 'end without d end with,v agasket, but showing white tin-spots through asa result of a gasket; a lacquered the imperfect application of the lacquer thereto, and the course of a perfectly lacquered end having dirt or rust spots, will be traced. The units first have the controlling rheostats set so that each will pass a good or `properly lacquered end having a gasket.

First, a perfectly lacquered end without a gasket as it comes along on thebelt 4, comes under the spot of light directed down in the curl where the gasket should be, and there is an increase in light reflection which is transmitted to the photoelectric 'cell. This cawes an increased ilow of current through the circuit which the cell controls and the adjacent solenoid is then activated and the end is expelled by the kick out lever.

Second, a lacquered end having a gasket but having its surface imperfectly white metal spots show therethrough, will pass the first unit, but when arriving beneath the second unit, will be flooded with light, and due to the 38, the photoelectric cell,`

lacquered so that' of the unit in the same manner as described in connection with the operation of unit I. o

Third, when a lacquered end with a `gasketand perfectly applied coat of lacquer passes the first twounits and arrives beneath the third unit with dirt` upon the lacquered surface or with a rusted area lying beneath the lacquered surface, an entirely different action takes place` in this unit than inthe two preceding ones. The feelers or switch` 4,8, are an integral *part of this third unit and as the end is scanned bythe photoelectric cell as the end is carried into thespot of light which covers the whole unit, there is not an increase in the amount of light reected to the cell, but adecrease from the amount a good cell would reflect to cause the relay 44 to be activated. This decrease of light from what might be called the normall for this type of end fails to close the relay circuit and thus', switch 48 and causes the points to be closed or brought together, the solenoid in circuit with the switch will be energized and the kick out lever operated to remove the undesirable can end. Had the can end been perfectly clean, a sulclent amount of light wouldhave been reflected, as a result of the adjustment of thecontrolling rheostathfor this type of end, to cause current to ow in suiiicient quantity through the circuit to actuate the relay 44. This would have opened the circuit 41 at the point 46 so that when the switch 48 was closed by the can end, this circuit would still remain inoperative and the end would pass on. Every kind of end inspected requires a different adjustment of the amplifiers and the three units work together when they are properly adjusted, to pass a good end of whatevertype or color. Then when an end comes under the units which is imperfect according to the standard to which the several amplifiers have been set, that end is' natu# rally kicked out by that one unit which finds it imperfect. I l

i While the foregoing is the preferred operation of the present invention, itis to be understood that the invention is not to be confined in use to the particular sequence of steps or operations set forth as other methods of using the units might be employed. The unit 2, for example, might be used alone to sort ends by throwing out all good ones and allowing the bad or undesirable ones to be carried oif, although this would .be impractical for the reason that the solenoid would be caused to operate' almost constantly. What is claimed is:v 1. Mechanism for inspecting normally shiny light reiiecting bodies, comprising a conveyor for said bodies, a housing overlying the conveyor having an open lower side, a light sensitive element in the housing, means within the housing beneath said element for directing a light beam onto an article passing beneath the housing, an electric circuit including a relay and said element, said circuit and relay being made operative by the receptionof a pre-determined amount of light when the end `strikes the` by the closing of the second circuit for removing an undesirable body from the conveyor.

2. A can end inspecting means, comprising aconveyor on which the ends are carried, a pair of inspection units each including an element movable across the conveyor to remove an end there from, an electric circuit, a light sensitive scanning element in the circuit and energizing the circuit upon receipt of a predetermined amount of light from the surface of.a can end passing therebeneath, a. relay for each unit and a second circuit controlled by the relay and including an electric element which when energized operates'the movable V'end removing element, a switch in one of the second circuits, the said relays in the said one of the second circuits when operated opening'said switch, and a second switch in series relation with the rst mentioned' switch in the last mentioned second circuit which is closed by the can end passing beneath the associated light sensitive element.

3. Mechanism for inspecting articles having light reflecting qualities, comprising a conveyor, a housing disposed over the conveyor and having a downwardly directed opening spaced from the conveyor to permit the passage of an end beneath the housing, said housing opening having an area of the same size as the surface of the article to be inspected, a light sensitive element in the housing, an electric circuit controlled by said element and including a relay, mechanism controlled by said relay which, when made operative, removes a receptacle end from beneath the housing, a light projector of a character to project light rays to a converging point, and a dispers'ing mirror within the housing beneath the element for receiving the converged rays of light from the projector'and dispersing them over the area dened by the said housing opening.

4. Mechanism for inspecting articles. having light reflecting qualities,` comprising a conveyor, a housing disposed over the conveyor and having an opening directed downwardly toward the conveyor and spaced therefrom a suicient distance t permit the passage of an article therebeneathv an electric circuit including a relay, a light sensitive element in and controlling the circuit and disposed in said housing, a. second circuit controlled by the relay, mechanism inthe second circuit which, when energized, eectsthe removal of an article beneath the housing opening, al

normallyl open switch in the second circuit disposed beneathl the edge of said housing opening to be closed by contact of the side of an article` therewith only when the article is fully in position beneath the opening, and means for diffusingl light over the said article when it is brought to position before the receptacle opening.

' the cell therein,

5. A machine for inspecting light impervious and reflecting articles for conditions giving more than or less than a, predetermined light value reflection, which comprises an article conveyor, a pair of housings ixed over the conveyor and each having an opening directed downwardly toward and spaced from the conveyor, a photo-'electric cell in each housing, means in each housing for illuminating an article beneath the opening thereof, an amplifying circuit forand controlled by each cell, a relay in each circuit, a second circuit associated with each amplifying circuit, a switch in one of said second circuits which is closed by the relay in the associated amplifying circuit upon the activation to a required degree of electrically actuated means in the said one of the second circuits which when energized will remove an article from beneath the associate cell housing, a pair of switches in series relation in the other of the second circuits one of which is opened upon the energization of the associate relay, electrical means in the said other second circuit which when energized will remove an article from beneath the associate cell housing, and the other of said pair of switches being dis- .posed adjacent the conveyor and adapted to be closed by an article only when the article is completelybeneath theopening of the housing enclosing the cell with vwhich the said other second circuit is associated.

6. Mechanism for inspecting normally shiny light reecting bodies, comprising a conveyor for said bodies, a housing overlying the conveyor and having an open side spaced sufiiciently from the conveyor to permit 'a body to pass beneath the opening, a light sensitive element in the housing, means for directing a, light beam downwardly in the housing throughsaid opening and onto an article passing therebeneath, an electric circuitl including a relay and said light sensitive element, said circuit and relay being made operativel by the reception of a predetermined amount of light by the element from a body, a second circuit, a

normally open switch in the second circuit which is arranged between the housing and the conveyor to be electrically closed by a body carried on the conveyor for inspection only when the body is fully exposed to the light beam through said open side of the opening, a second switch in series relation in the' second circuit with the first switch, said second switch being normally closed and opened only upon the energization of said relay, 'and electro-magnetically operated mea-ns in circuit with said switches which when energized effects the removal of a body from the conveyor.

MARK E. MOORE. 

